Tus Gemuenden/Hunsruck Select 0-3 abd 45 mins Coventry City
Coventry City's first pre-season of the season was abandoned at half time due to a torrential downpour and a thunderstorm.
After leaving Coventry at some unearthly hour with little or no sleep, nine City supporters enjoyed a pleasant flight and trip down to Saarbrucken where we were basing ourselves for the tour.
We sorted our accomodation before embarking on the winding narrow roads to Gemuenden in the Black Forest.
The weather was warm and sunny as City took to the field fielding French trialist Antonio Silvero at right back, Bernt Evans at centre half and new boys Neil Wood and Eddy Johnson.
As expected against a select team from seven different teams, City took the game to the Germans from the start.
Bjarni Gudjonsson won City a corner in the first minute with a second two minutes later being fired wide by the Icelander.
Up front with Gary McSheffrey was Eddy Johnson and the player on a one year loan had a low twelve yard drive saved by Gemuenden keeper Thomas Bast in the 5th minute followed by a poor touch which let Bast recover to save after good work by Graham Barrett.
It was all one way traffic and in the 11th minute,a ball from Silvero was knocked back to Steve Staunton on the edge of the area. The Irish international steadied himself before firing a low shot into the net to delight the 16 City fans including one on his honeymoon.
Gemuenden came back at City and Stefan Jung managed to get past Richard Shaw and rifle a 20 yard shot which hit the top of Scott Shearer's cross bar.
Gary McSHheffrey was linking well down the left with Barrett and raced through on the 14th minute to hit a shot which Bast beat away for a corner.
When the flag kick from Gudjonsson corner came in,the gigantic figure of trialist from Antwerp defender Bernt Evans saw his header cleared off the line.
Two more Johnson shots were saved with the second forcing Scott Shearer into a save with his feet.
In the 22nd minute,City went further ahead when a Barrett throughball was picked up on by Gary McSheffrey who saw Bast advancing and squared the ball for the unmarked Neil Wood to tap home from six yards.
McSheffrey was involved two minutes later when he got down the left. Across stepped Timo Beulder to grab the shirt which was last seasons and was booked for the offence.
Eric Deloumeaux was another working hard and he linked well with Silvero to get down the right wing and send over a cross which Barrett steered into the side netting.
As we moved into the last third of the first half, rumbles of thunder and a few bolts of lightening lit up the pitch and the grass bank upon which most of the 150 crowd were sat on.
Johnson missed again in the 33rd minute this time from a Wood cross.
Eight minutes later. City were awarded a free kick after Johnson was pulled down. Steve Staunton took the kick and a Barrett shot was deflected wide.
Two minutes before the interval,the impressive Silvero raced down the right and sent over a peach of a cross which Graham Barrett nodded past Bast from six yards.
As we were being interviewed by a local journalist at the interval,the rain got worse and with no stand,shelter was taken under trees and in the small club house.
This downpour was the worst I had seen in ages and i got drenched retreiving our flags hung behind one of the goals.
Now fair play to Peter Reid as he stood under a canopy with the City fans,starring in disbelief at the attrocious weather. Whilst stood with us,he admitted that he was only following orders in bringing the team to Germany and was over heard saying to someone on the phone that "he was worth the money and we should sign him." There was no let up in the weather and the match was finally abandoned.
We were quite livid at this decision and the missing of the chance to see new boys Sherwood,Hughes and Emmanuelle Wengert who again is on trial with City and were to be aired in a complere team change in the second half. We chanted at the tour guide before making the 150 mile trek back to our digs.
Ht TuS Gem 0-3 CCFC
Goals Staunton 11,Wood 22,Barrett 43.
Man Of The March - Antonio Silvero
Team
Shearer,Silvero,Staunton,Deloumeaux,Shaw,Evans,Gudjonsson.Wood,Johnson,McSheffrey,Barrett.
Gemuenden
Bast,Bohenburger,Jarrow,T Beulder,Silato,Effegen,Jung,Wermann,Steir,Yasir,Dermond.